Foreign chambers in Thailand urge safety for tourists

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Foreign chambers urge safety for tourists
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION


Kang

BANGKOK: -- The foreign chambers of commerce in Thailand, in a bid to help revive tourism, have urged the government to ensure tourist safety and crack down on illegal businesses in order to raise the country's competitiveness and sustainable growth.

Stanley Kang, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), which comprises about 30 foreign chambers representing more than 900 companies and business organisations, said the chamber is seeking to help and restore the tourism business after the sector was hit hard by political unrest months ago.

He said Thai tourism had once again been damaged this year due to the political chaos. A lot of tourists are still worried about visiting the Kingdom perhaps due to the martial law.

"We [JFCCT] would like to urge the tourists to return to Thailand. The government should assure visitors full safety and also take good care of them while travelling in the country," said Kang.

He added that many chambers would explain to people in their countries about the political situation in Thailand. "Though there is martial law, it is different from other places," he said.

JFCCT is planning to meet with the tourism and sports minister to discuss the current situation and further cooperation.

Eric Hallin, tourism committee chief and chairman at JFCCT, said arrivals to Thailand from October last year to the third quarter of this year fell by 20 per cent year on year. The drop was mainly due to news coverage on safety issues in international media following the coup. Also, tourism businesses faced tough competition.

He said the average occupancy rate at hotels in Bangkok early this month was 55-60 per cent, which is slightly lower than the normal low season. However, the number of tourists will increase during the rest of this month and many more are expected during the high season this year.

According to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), the number of international tourists travelling with ATTA members during January 1 to September 10 dropped by 40 per cent compared to same period last year. Travel companies have lost 1.2 million tourists during this period.

ATTA also reported that all of its top 20 inbound markets plunged by 32 per cent compared to the same period last year. Of this, Hong Kong saw the biggest drop, 79 per cent, while the US market saw the least fall with 17 per cent.

In order to improve the country's competitiveness and prepare for sustainable growth, Hallin suggested that the government crack down on all illegal businesses in the Kingdom.

Nearly 2,000 hotels in Bangkok and its outskirts are running without licences or are understood to be illegal. Only 469 hotels in the areas have a licence.

"Registered hotel operators are paying high tax while non-registered ones are not and they are now hurting the entire sector," said Hallin. There are also a lot of fake or nominee-run travel companies in the market, who often cause problems.

Earlier, a group of tourism veterans called on the government to help reform the industry database as well as clean up inactive policies and poor management.

The JFCCT also called on officials to prepare skilled labour for the Asean Economic Community that will take effect next year.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Foreign-chambers-urge-safety-for-tourists-30243789.html


-- The Nation 2014-09-22

[clockman]

Tell that to Kirsty Jones! her killer is still out there.

[Fred Flinstone]

At least there is honesty on the figures -40% drop sounds more correct than prior claims of 10%

[khwaibah]

Hallow words at this time. What you sow you reap.

[BirdsandBooze]

The only way they could possibly GUARANTEE safety is to have army patrols with a zero tolerance remit policing tourist areas.

[englishoak]

Are they learning yet ?

[alant]

""Though there is martial law, it is different from other places," he said."

Of course it is

[chainarong]

Unfortunately you will find that every now and then a foreign tourist comes to grief in any country around the world, every country has their fair share of nutters and Thailand is no orphan, removing the sleazy illegal business , the mafia controlled organisations and operators would go along way to improving Thailand's image , however the Thai political position under the military would put a lot off , not everyone with a family likes to visit a country run by a dictator, regardless what the circumstances are, this small matter should be addressed within the reforms agenda.

[noitom]

These Thai chamber of commerce officials are not concerned with safety, risk, regulation, and quality. They are only concerned with "getting them in." Once they are here carpe diem. These quoted Thai chamber of commerce officials merely appear to be shills for "getting them in." One is urging the other is blaming.

[bushwacker]

I am always amazed at the predictions of ... BUT SOON THE TOURISTS WILL COME BACK. They certainly must have a clear crystal ball. I cannot easily make that leap.

[Emster23]

How about promoting idea of safety for ALL in Thailand? In other words, get cops off their backsides and have them do actual policing?

[ToddinChonburi]

The more they write the more of a mess you see this country is in, they have a big hill to climb.

[doggie888888]

They should be saying the opposite: encourage all to stay away until safety is improved,environment is cleaned up and all scams stopped. Hit them in the hip pocket until they act.

Otherwise, it's all lip service only.

[losgrad]

Interesting... yeah, I know I am reading into just a portion of the report, but trying to see beyond the headline.

Does it appear they want to increase the hotel occupancy rate by closing the non-tax paying hotels, guesthouses, etc.. or those not owned by major corporate sponsors/families, thus improving one of the tourist number statistics in reference to hotel occupancy?

And there is an implication that the illegal ones are 'unsafe.' Was that hotel in Chiang Mai 'legal' where multiple people died from coincidence, illegal pesticides or ? (sorry, I don't know if there was a conclusion to that story).

Just saying... yes, maybe I am way off....I can be paranoid that way...

[kurnell]

I wonder what effect a huge decrease in tourism would have on the Thai economy? Apart from those who's livelihood rely on the tourist industry, would anyone else care? I assume that the super rich would remain so.

[rickirs]

Just a point for a wee bit of silliness.

The Coup has said "it will ensure the safety of foreigners in the country but is advising them to be vigilant about not taking part in public gatherings, which are illegal under martial law: No more than five people are allowed to gather together in public." (my underlined emphasis)

The NCPO has demonstrated through enforcement of martial law that "public" means "public," unaffected or mitigated by whatever purpose for the gathering. So should not a group of tourists gathered into a tour exceeding five people be considered a violation of martial law when it appears in the public? Therefore, either tours must be held to a five-tourist limit or face arrest if observed. If so, then to avoid arrest, tours would have to be conducted entirely from the inside of buses or vans so as to not be in the public eye. Enjoy your safety foreigners.

[ggt]

Suggest a minimum height of 6' rails around balconies of hotels and condos become mandatory building code...so that foreigners can have a fighting chance when being throw...oh I mean...committing suicide...by jumping to their death...

There might be some value in a government study as to why tourists who are perfectly happy and sane in their own countries...come to Thailand to commit acts of violence upon themselves...stabbing themselves to death with multiple stab wounds to the back...choking themselves to death with their own hands...and my all time favorite...cutting each others heads off in an obvious suicide pact...

Thai police have a great track record when investigating these cases...SUICIDE...CASE CLOSED...

[jackinthebox]

>Nearly 2,000 hotels in Bangkok and its outskirts are running without licences or are understood to be illegal. Only 469 hotels in the areas have a licence.

Rubbish...

[Thai at Heart]

Actions speak louder than words